ROM 2:23 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT You, who boast in the law, do you dishonor God through the transgression of the law?

UST You brag about how well you understand the laws God gave you, but you disgrace God by disobeying those laws!

BLB You who boast in Law, do you dishonor God through the transgression of the Law?

AICNT You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.

OEB Boasting, as you do, of your Law, do you dishonour God by breaking the Law?

WEBBE You who glory in the law, do you dishonour God by disobeying the law?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law!

LSV You who boast in the Law, through the transgression of the Law do you dishonor God?

FBV You boast about having the law, but don't you misrepresent God by breaking it?

TCNT Yoʋ who boast in the law, do yoʋ dishonor God by transgressing the law?

T4T You who boast saying, “I have God’s laws,” it is disgusting that you disobey those same laws! [RHQ] As a result you are insulting God!

LEB Who boast in the law, by the transgression of the law you dishonor God![fn]

2:23 Or “do you dishonor God?” (a number of translators and interpreters take this phrase as a final rhetorical question; the present translation regards it as a final summary statement to be taken ironically)

BBE You who take pride in the law, are you doing wrong to the honour of God by behaviour which is against the law?

Moff You pride yourself on the Law; do you dishonour God by your breaches of the Law?

Wymth You who make your boast in the Law, do you offend against its commands and so dishonour God?

ASV thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonorest thou God?

DRA Thou that makest thy boast of the law, by transgression of the law dishonourest God.

YLT thou who in the law dost boast, through the transgression of the law God dost thou dishonour?

Drby thou who boastest in law, dost thou by transgression of the law dishonour [fn]God?

2.23 Elohim

RV thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonourest thou God?
(thou/you who gloryst in the law, through thy/your transgression of the law dishonourest thou/you God? )

SLT Thou who boastest in the law, by transgression of the law dishonourest thou God?

Wbstr Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God?

KJB-1769 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
(Thou/You that makest/make thy/your boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou/you God? )

KJB-1611 Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation)

Bshps Thou that makest thy boast of ye lawe, through breakyng the lawe dishonorest God.
(Thou/You that makest/make thy/your boast of ye/you_all law, through breaking the law dishonourest God.)

Gnva Thou that gloriest in the Lawe, through breaking the Lawe, dishonourest thou God?
(Thou/You that gloryst in the Law, through breaking the Law, dishonourest thou/you God? )

Cvdl Thou makest thy boost of the lawe, and thorow breakynge of the lawe thou dishonorest God.
(Thou/You makest/make thy/your boost of the law, and through breaking of the law thou/you dishonourest God.)

TNT Thou reioysest in the lawe and thorow breakinge the lawe dishonourest God.
(Thou/You rejoicest/rejoice in the law and through breakinge the law dishonourest God. )

Wycl Thou that hast glorie in the lawe, vnworschipist God bi brekyng of the lawe?
(Thou/You that hast glory in the law, unworschipist God by breaking of the law?)

Luth Du rühmest dich des Gesetzes und schändest GOtt durch Übertretung des Gesetzes.
(You(sg) boast/praisest you/yourself the law and schändest God through transgression the law.)

ClVg qui in lege gloriaris, per prævaricationem legis Deum inhonoras.
(who/which in/into/on lawfully to_boasts, through trespass law God inhonoras. )

UGNT ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου, τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις?
(hos en nomōi kauⱪasai dia taʸs parabaseōs tou nomou, ton Theon atimazeis?)

SBL-GNT ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι, διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις;
(hos en nomōi kauⱪasai, dia taʸs parabaseōs tou nomou ton theon atimazeis?)

RP-GNT Ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι, διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις;
(Hos en nomōi kauⱪasai, dia taʸs parabaseōs tou nomou ton theon atimazeis;)

TC-GNT Ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι, διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις;
(Hos en nomōi kauⱪasai, dia taʸs parabaseōs tou nomou ton Theon atimazeis; )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:17–29: The Jews and the law of Moses

In this section, Paul talked to the Jews about themselves. He continued to use the singular “you,” as in the previous section. This form of teaching is called a “diatribe.” (See Section 2:1–16.)

Using this diatribe, Paul rebuked the Jews because they had the law of Moses but they disobeyed it.

Paul showed them that an outward sign of religion is of no use to people if they did not do what is right. He told them that God praises those whose heart is right with God.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

God praises a changed heart

Truly following God comes from the heart

2:23a

You who boast in the law,

You^(sing) brag about Jewish law,
You^(sing) are proud about having the laws of Moses.

boast in the law: The Jews boasted that God gave his law to them and to no other nation/people-group. Having God’s law made them special. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

brag about the law (NIV84)

boast about having God’s law (GNT)

the law: This refers to the law that God gave to Moses. See how you translated it in 2:12 or 2:20.

2:23b

do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

but you disrespect God because you disobey that law.
But you disobey those laws, and so insult God.

do you dishonor God by breaking the law?: There are two ways to interpret this clause:

It states that this person has broken the law of Moses. It accuses him of doing that. For example:
you dishonor God by breaking it (NLT) (ESV, NJB, NLT, CEV, NET, REB, NCV)
It is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes that this person should not break the law of Moses. For example:
do you dishonor God by breaking the law? (NIV) (BSB, RSV, NIV, GNT, NASB, NABRE, GW, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), but both interpretations are a rebuke for breaking the law.Nicoll (page 600) says, “probably the use of the relative instead of the participle suggests that the sentence is to be read not as an interrogative, but as declaratory.” Moo, Barrett, and Schreiner also support interpretation (1). Translate with that meaning.

dishonor God: The Greek word that the BSB translates as dishonor means “to disrespect” or “to insult.”

breaking the law: The Greek word that the BSB translates as breaking means literally “to step across a boundary.” Here it refers to someone doing something that God told him not to do. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

you disobey it (NJB)

they do not do according to the words which the law saysOtomi Back Translation on TW.

not following his commandsUma Back Translation on TW.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου, τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι διά τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τόν Θεόν ἀτιμάζεις)

As in the previous two verses, Paul is not asking for information here, but is using the question form to emphasize the truth of what he is saying. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [You who boast in the law actually dishonor God through the transgression of the law!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι διά τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τόν Θεόν ἀτιμάζεις)

Paul uses in the law as if it were something that people could boast inside of. He means that the Jews brag that they are the only nation who knows God’s law, which has similar meaning to “boast in God” in [2:17](../02/17.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [You, who brag that you are the only ones who know God’s law]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι διά τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τόν Θεόν ἀτιμάζεις)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of transgression, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [by transgressing the law] or [by breaking the law]

Parallel ROM 2:23

Section 2:17–29: The Jews and the law of Moses

2:23a

2:23b